Sled and skate converter



Nam. 24, 1959 D. MICHNOFF 2,914,334

SLED AND SKATE CONVERTER Filed June-l8, 1957 INVENTOR J4 Vii Jfiabiza jj ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofihce 2,914,334 Patented Nov. 24, 1959 SLED AND SKATE CONVERTER David Michnofi, Mount Rainier, Md. Application June 13,1957, Serial No. 666,435 3 Claims. c1. 2s0-s This invention relates to a roller or wheel device for the conversion of sleds or skates into wheeled vehicles, and to the combination of the sled or skate with said device.

The device of the present invention is adapted for the conversion of sleds or skates having inverted T-shaped runners, said runners comprising a vertical web and a fiat lower running surface integral with and extending laterally from said web. When sets of the respective embodiments of the device of this invention are attached to the sled or skate runners in the appropriate numbers, the sleds or skates are converted into wheeled vehicles, permitting their use during periods of the year when the ground is free of snow or ice. Conversely, the devices are easily and quickly removable to reconvert the sleds or skates for seasonal usage. The devices of the present invention are free of the shortcomings of-prior art devices and possess numerous advantages which will be apparent from the following description.

The sled and skate conversion devices described in the prior patented art have been characterized by large numbers of working parts, and by complicated and time consuming methods of attachment to sled or skate runners. A common and detrimental feature has been the reliance on numerous bolt and nut types of fastenings whichtend to loosen in a shorttime as a-result 'of vibration and road shocks. These threaded types or" fastenings have, moreover, proved inadequate by themselves as a means of absorbing vibration and road shocks due to rough handling and tend to strip the threads or break olf. A lack of rigidity was often inherent in the design of prior art devices, causing them to twist off or'slip along'the runners. The prior art devices have functioned unsatisfactorily whether of the single or dual wheeled type because of these limitations. Thus, in prior art devices several sets of attaching clamps conforming to the shape of the sled runner are bolted to an inverted U-shaped clip Within which a single Wheel is mounted. In other devices, a dual wheeled converter is attached to a sled runner by means of resilient metal jaws held in place by a clamping bolt and nut. Devices of this type do not absorb road shocks and vibration, work loose easily in service, and lack rigidity. In still other prior art devices, a flat skate runner rests in the trough of a narrow clip and below axle means which serves to bind the clip to the runner and to support a wheel exteriorly of the runner. Such designs are inherently not adaptable to the T-shaped runner of a sled, and lack means for preventing the runner edge from coming into contact with and damaging the threaded portion of the axle.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a sled and skate converter which is easily and quickly attachable or removable using ordinary tools and possessing a minimum number of strong and durable parts.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sled and skate converter adapted to maintain a firm grip upon the sled or skate runner, to provide strength and rigidity, and resistance to road shocks and vibrations.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sled and skate converter adapted to be mounted upon the runner of a sled 'or skate having resilient means interposed between the runner and the wheel or rollercarrying elements of theconverter. N

In the attainment of these objects there is provided in accordance with one embodiment of this invention a sled or skate converter to be mounted upon a T-shaped runner which comprises an inverted V-shaped clamping member having parallel downwardly extending forks and adapted to fit over the sled or skate runner so as to enclose the same. Said clamping member is held firmly in place on said runner by means of a transverse shaft or axle structure which engages the under surfaceof the runner and which carries a pair of wheels or rollers mounted outside the extending forks, said shaft or axle structure passing through oppositely disposed openings in the respective fork members. In another embodiment of this invention, the converter comprises a pair of said V-shaped clamping members to be mounted on opposite runners and carrying a common axle structure extending transversely of the sled and a wheel at each end of the axle structure. In both of these'embodiments, resilient means are interposed between the axle and the under surface of the runner to absorb vibration and road shocks.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, together With the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sled showing a set of the devices mounted upon the runners;

Fig. 2 is anenlarged elevation of-a sled or skate runner showing thedevice applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of an embodiment in which a pair of the devices carries a single axle extending between opposite sled runners.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the converter device is generally indicated at 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the device includes an inverted clamping member12 having a V-shaped upper portion 14 and integral side extensions or forks 16 extending downwardly and substantially parallel to form supportsfor shaft'or axle member 18. Clamping member 12 is advantageously made from a single piece ofheavy gauge metal to provide requisite strength and rigidity. The V-shaped portion is adapted to fit around and enclose the sled or skate T-shaped runner 8, and is held firmly in place thereon by fastening means on shaft or axle structure 18.

The axle 18 extends through and is carried in two opposite openings 20 located in each fork. A pair of wheels or rollers 22 is mounted at the opposite ends of axle 18 by any suitable mounting means, such as, for example, antifriction devices including ball or roller bearings. The wheels or rollers are held in place by suitable fastening means, such as nuts with lock washers. The axle may be threaded at both ends to accommodate said fastening nuts. However, in a preferred form of the invention, the axle comprises a bolt member having smooth walls, having a head 26 at one end and a short thread at the other end to engage fastening nut 24. A pair of washers 28 is located on the axle between the outer faces of the forks and the inner hubs of the wheels to permit free movement of the latter, and for the purpose of tightening the grip of clamping member 12 on the sled or skate runner 8.

Means for absorbing vibration and road shocks is provided by a resilient tubular member 32 which surrounds the axle between the inner faces of the forks, and which may be made of rubber or other suitable material. Concentric with said resilient member and surrounding same and mounted on the inner portion of the axle is a tubular member 30 which may be made of metal or plastic. Member or collar 30 preferably is of a length such as to permit slight lateral movement on the shaft or axle. It serves the dual purpose of holding the resilient member 32 in place and of serving as a support for the under surface of the sled or skate runner, thereby preventing direct contact between runner and axle. It also serves to maintain the upper edge of the runner web in engagement with the V-notch of clamping member 12.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, a transverse shaft or axle 34 is fastened to the sled runners 8 by a pair of similar clamping members 12, the forks of which carry the axle as previously described. Axle 34 has mounted thereon and positioned between the respective inner fork faces a pair of fixed flanges 40 which engage the fork surfaces and permit tightening of the outer forks by nuts 44 to secure a firm grip on the sled runners. Mounted on said axle and positioned between the forks of the respective clamping members is a pair of tubular collar and resilient shock absorbing members 38 as previously described. A pair of wheels is mounted for rotation on the outer ends of the axle, said wheels being preferably somewhat larger in diameter than those employed in the embodiment of Fig. 3. These wheels are held in place by any suitable fastening means, such as nuts and lock'washers. Mounted on the axle between the inner hubs of the wheels and the outer faces of the forks are washers 42 which serve to engage the outer fork surfaces to tighten the grip of the clamping members on the sled runners by means of nuts 44.

To attach the device shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the V-shaped portion of the clamping member is placed over the upper portion of the sled runner, the bolt type axle carrying a wheel or roller at the bolt head end is thrust through the opening in one of the forks, the collar and resilient members are inserted on the axle between the forks, the axle is thrust through the other fork opening, the other wheel is mounted thereon, and the fastening nut applied and tightened. It will be seen that this arrangement permits easy and rapid installation or removal of the device with only one adjustment and fastening operation.

The alternate embodiment of Fig. 4 is applied in substantially the same manner.

In Fig. 1 there is shown the manner in which a set of four converters may be applied to a conventional sled to convert the same into a coaster or wagon. By

mounting the forward pair of converters sufficiently near the front ends of the sled runners 8, it is possible to take advantage of any steering arrangement with which the sled is provided.

The scope of the invention is not limited to the details of the specifically disclosed embodiments, but variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed.

I claim:

1. A device for conversion of runner-equipped sleds or skates into wheeled vehicles which comprises an inverted V-shaped clamping member adapatd to be mounted upon a runner and having downwardly extending spaced legs for gripping the horizontal edges of said runner, including means for forcing, said legs toward each other to grip said runner comprising an axle structure carried by said legs and disposed below said runner and engaging the under surface of said runner for support thereof, said axle structure being threaded at one end thereof externally of said clamping member and having fastening means on said one end for tightening said legs against said horizontal edges of said runner, including a skate wheel having a hub carried on said axle structure, said fastening means comprising a nut threaded on said one end of said axle structure and compressively engageable with one side of said hub for compressing said hub against the adjacent downwardly extending clamping member leg to clamp said leg against the adjacent edge of said runner.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, including a pair of wheels carried on said axle structure to be disposed at respective edges of said runner, wherein said runner is thus disposed intermediate said wheels and supported on an axle section therebetween.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1, including a cushioning means on said axle section disposed to engage said runner at the lowermost surface thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,388 Reach May 13, 1919 1,304,331 Leicht May 20, 1919 2,039,153 Edwards Apr. 28, 1936 2,549,003 Pintak Apr. 17, 1951 2,743,938 Nash May 1, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,798 Sweden Feb. 3, 1948 

